We had another wonderful day with Ruby Thursday, this time just Adele and I. We were both exhausted, from various problems (minor ones, just problems) Adele and I took turns all day, with Adele also doing wash as she could. I, having not slept from Thursday morning at 1am through the day, was not much help, but did my best. I finally went to bed at 7:30 and woke this morning at 7 - what a great sleep!
This morning Friday, we are doing much better with Ruby, as we are both feeling better. Planning our return trip, in two days this time, with a stop in Jonesville, NC. That will have us home Sunday by 2 pm or so, and much more rested than a one day drive would be. We will probably leave Augusta around 4 or so tomorrow.
More later - oh almost forgot - Adele had a good conversation with Dr Meade at John Hopkins. He is saying the same things that Dr Balepur in Lancaster is saying and agrees that a checkup in two months would be the right thing to do, with all the tests showing negative. So sometime in May is her next round of PET or CAT or some scan to see what is happening.
Thanks to all the prayer warriors we have, God Loves You All.
Rick
Friday, March 26, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Wed March 24th
Last weekend we started it with a trip to Harrisburg and Mason's 6th birthday party! Had a great time with family and Mason was Awesome as Wolverine! After getting home we did some packing for the GA trip.
Sunday we travelled to GA - started about 8:40am and got here around 7:30pm. Best time ever for getting to Julie's, traffic was so good, only small bunches of traffic in any one spot, and always flowing at 70 or better.
Monday Adele and Julie got out with Ruby, while I tried to relax, was too tired from the drive to do much, and I wanted Adele to get her Mother, Daughter, Grand daughter time in. I really don't remember where they went - Red Robin for lunch I know that much.
Tuesday, I got them out again, this time to Target for some warm tops for Adele (it has been cold here) and then a First for Ruby, a Happy Meal at McDonalds! Why are we so excited to introduce our grandchild to "unhealthy fast food" - beats me, but she did enjoy it.
Eric stopped in for lunch Monday, and Tuesday to get some paperwork done. He is busy at the local golf course, sorry I am not able to mention which one, but they are getting ready for a big tournament in two weeks.
Sunday we travelled to GA - started about 8:40am and got here around 7:30pm. Best time ever for getting to Julie's, traffic was so good, only small bunches of traffic in any one spot, and always flowing at 70 or better.
Monday Adele and Julie got out with Ruby, while I tried to relax, was too tired from the drive to do much, and I wanted Adele to get her Mother, Daughter, Grand daughter time in. I really don't remember where they went - Red Robin for lunch I know that much.
Tuesday, I got them out again, this time to Target for some warm tops for Adele (it has been cold here) and then a First for Ruby, a Happy Meal at McDonalds! Why are we so excited to introduce our grandchild to "unhealthy fast food" - beats me, but she did enjoy it.
Eric stopped in for lunch Monday, and Tuesday to get some paperwork done. He is busy at the local golf course, sorry I am not able to mention which one, but they are getting ready for a big tournament in two weeks.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Friday's Oncologist Appointment
We had our appointment with Dr Balepur this AM, right after 11. He looked at all the tests, CAT scan results, biopsy reports, checked out her body with his magic node feeling hands.
His words, the lymph node biopsy is Negative, the bone marrow biopsy is Negative, the CAT scan shows nothing remarkable, the physical show us nothing. Everything is Wonderful and we are now on a two month schedule for the next checkup. We will email Dr Meade in Baltimore, the tissue biopsy results so he has them in the records there.
NO BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT is needed, in Dr Balepur's eyes, as there is nothing happening, other than the nodes shrinking. We will leave for Augusta, GA, slightly before Tiger Woods, this Sunday and stay for 8 - 10 days with Eric, Julie and Ruby! I just want to drive there in one day and be there for Sunday evening.
Saturday afternoon is Mason's birthday celebration in Harrisburg, so we will be well visited with Mason and Kaelyn before going to GA.
Wonderful news for Adele and I, although I have been promoting this news for quite awhile. God heard all those prayers and gave her a respite from it, pray that it stays in remission and does not flare up again. Thank you all for the prayers and help in the past three months.
Free I say - We are Free again! Corvette Summer Cruising is almost here.
His words, the lymph node biopsy is Negative, the bone marrow biopsy is Negative, the CAT scan shows nothing remarkable, the physical show us nothing. Everything is Wonderful and we are now on a two month schedule for the next checkup. We will email Dr Meade in Baltimore, the tissue biopsy results so he has them in the records there.
NO BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT is needed, in Dr Balepur's eyes, as there is nothing happening, other than the nodes shrinking. We will leave for Augusta, GA, slightly before Tiger Woods, this Sunday and stay for 8 - 10 days with Eric, Julie and Ruby! I just want to drive there in one day and be there for Sunday evening.
Saturday afternoon is Mason's birthday celebration in Harrisburg, so we will be well visited with Mason and Kaelyn before going to GA.
Wonderful news for Adele and I, although I have been promoting this news for quite awhile. God heard all those prayers and gave her a respite from it, pray that it stays in remission and does not flare up again. Thank you all for the prayers and help in the past three months.
Free I say - We are Free again! Corvette Summer Cruising is almost here.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Mon - Wed this week
Nothing really to say (ouch) but we will be seeing (ouch) the doctor Friday before (ouch) noon. That is probably the day we find (ouch) what is going to happen(ouch) with Adele. I need to stop using that right middle finger (ouch) to type, tore the nail off down to way past where you trim it.
Adele is shopping in Lancaster and is feeling better than she has for quite awhile. Mason's birthday is tomorrow, party on Saturday. Sunday - if we get the good news Friday - is a trip to Georgia and our other grandchild, Ruby Rose in Augusta. Oh, I guess we will also see Eric and Julie there, not just Ruby. Can hardly wait for Friday, as everything is pointing to a remission or decrease in size of the cancer. Maybe, just maybe, they will just do a CAT scan every three months or so.
Yesterday our family doctor said the CAT scan of her neck results looked good and just small tumors, nothing to worry about. Will hear more tomorrow.
It is hard to keep from being too excited, but we are and look forward to less stress in the future, maybe no stem cell transplant, as it might not be needed.
Thanks for all the prayers - Rick
Adele is shopping in Lancaster and is feeling better than she has for quite awhile. Mason's birthday is tomorrow, party on Saturday. Sunday - if we get the good news Friday - is a trip to Georgia and our other grandchild, Ruby Rose in Augusta. Oh, I guess we will also see Eric and Julie there, not just Ruby. Can hardly wait for Friday, as everything is pointing to a remission or decrease in size of the cancer. Maybe, just maybe, they will just do a CAT scan every three months or so.
Yesterday our family doctor said the CAT scan of her neck results looked good and just small tumors, nothing to worry about. Will hear more tomorrow.
It is hard to keep from being too excited, but we are and look forward to less stress in the future, maybe no stem cell transplant, as it might not be needed.
Thanks for all the prayers - Rick
Monday, March 15, 2010
The weekend
Saturday, after a rocky start, we went to "Alice in Wonderland" and enjoyed the movie. Julie, Eric and Ruby were ready to Skype after we got home, so we had a nice talk with them.
This week is just waiting on the doctor's appointment Friday and seeing what his opinion is - now that the surgical biopsy is done.
If he says "Wait and See" - we leave for GA as soon as Mason's birthday party is done. I would leave from Harrisburg on Saturday, but I believe Adele will want to wait until Sunday. She can really use the grand children on Saturday and then in GA the next week.
Friday is the telling appointment. Pray for the "Wait and See" opinion, it would mean her cancer is less aggressive than they thought. Praise God for that!
This week is just waiting on the doctor's appointment Friday and seeing what his opinion is - now that the surgical biopsy is done.
If he says "Wait and See" - we leave for GA as soon as Mason's birthday party is done. I would leave from Harrisburg on Saturday, but I believe Adele will want to wait until Sunday. She can really use the grand children on Saturday and then in GA the next week.
Friday is the telling appointment. Pray for the "Wait and See" opinion, it would mean her cancer is less aggressive than they thought. Praise God for that!
Friday, March 12, 2010
This week
Tuesday we had a surgical consult for a tissue biopsy and yesterday, on Thursday, the surgeon removed some lymph nodes from under her left arm. We were at Lancaster General from 8 until noon and she was still groggy and hurting for the rest of the day.
Best news was that the surgeon did not see any abnormal cells. He took what he could find, and said maybe this is the best news for us. We will find out more next Friday at the oncologist appointment (or before), but we are hopeful with the surgeon's findings. Maybe she has a stage 2 cancer left, and the stage 3 was killed with the chemo last year. Could this be a "Wait and See" type of cancer that is left? Don't know, but I am very hopeful. This all matches what the second PET scan showed - a smaller hot spot after 1 1/2 months, not growth of the tumors.
Rain for the weekend and then a string of bright sunny days next week. The Corvette is washed and ready to rumble out of the garage. I need to get the hardtop off of it, so the convertible top can be used, but hopefully that will go better this Spring, last Fall it refused to come off.
Thanks be to the Lord for His mercy and Love. He has been wonderful to us this year.
Best news was that the surgeon did not see any abnormal cells. He took what he could find, and said maybe this is the best news for us. We will find out more next Friday at the oncologist appointment (or before), but we are hopeful with the surgeon's findings. Maybe she has a stage 2 cancer left, and the stage 3 was killed with the chemo last year. Could this be a "Wait and See" type of cancer that is left? Don't know, but I am very hopeful. This all matches what the second PET scan showed - a smaller hot spot after 1 1/2 months, not growth of the tumors.
Rain for the weekend and then a string of bright sunny days next week. The Corvette is washed and ready to rumble out of the garage. I need to get the hardtop off of it, so the convertible top can be used, but hopefully that will go better this Spring, last Fall it refused to come off.
Thanks be to the Lord for His mercy and Love. He has been wonderful to us this year.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Monday's Tests Done
This morning we left for Lancaster Health Campus at 7:10am. Got there before most of the traffic and sat a few minutes until after 8 when they did Adele's CAT scan. Got out of there and drove to the Lancaster General Hospital for the Bon Marrow Biopsy at 9 am. We made it to MOPU at LGH early, checked in and got Adele ready for the BM biopsy. Yeah - strip to bra and panties, and gown opens in the back.
Dr Balepur came in, just after the lab tech (and an intern with the tech) got there. Dr Balepur got the samples and all went well. Just a bit of bleeding, since her platelet level is low, but that stopped quickly.
Home now and we are both reading, mine is a boring (but quite understandable) technical 1400+ page book on Windows 2008 Server (R2). Such fun learning new items like this - really - I love it.
Tomorrow is a consult for the surgeon and then we can make his appointment to get the tissue biopsy. Everything is coming together for a more thorough and complete understanding of what is going on with Adele.
Pray for Peace while we wait - and clarity of mind in understanding what they tell us when we get all the reports.
Dr Balepur came in, just after the lab tech (and an intern with the tech) got there. Dr Balepur got the samples and all went well. Just a bit of bleeding, since her platelet level is low, but that stopped quickly.
Home now and we are both reading, mine is a boring (but quite understandable) technical 1400+ page book on Windows 2008 Server (R2). Such fun learning new items like this - really - I love it.
Tomorrow is a consult for the surgeon and then we can make his appointment to get the tissue biopsy. Everything is coming together for a more thorough and complete understanding of what is going on with Adele.
Pray for Peace while we wait - and clarity of mind in understanding what they tell us when we get all the reports.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Wednesday through Friday
Wednesday and Thursday were basically easy days for us. Adele has been trying to do some housework and cleaning up the dinner for us. She also helps cook dinner, and we still get in each other's way in the kitchen.
This morning we had to get samples for an HLA typing match, for Adele. The samples were taken at Lancaster Cancer Center lab and then we saw Dr Balepur. The surprises last week were, the lymph glands affected, seem smaller and possibly less active, but Dr Meade still wants a sample of the node to confirm anything. The HLA typing is for an allogeneic bone marrow transplant. Beth and Julie have their samples today, and are Fed Exing them back to John Hopkins. Tom's is either today or Monday, I forget.
Dr Balepur still believes the PET scan shows a smaller involvement of the lymph nodes, and is cautious about what to do. We are leaning on Dr Meade as he sees 1000% more cases than Dr Balepur, so the surgical biopsy will be needed.
We have dates on Monday at 8 and 9 AM for Cat scan and bone marrow biopsy aspiration. Then Tuesday is the surgeon, hopefully followed by a biopsy of the node in her side. Then back to Dr Balepur in 2 weeks.
If we can get a good biopsy of the node, best result would be a benign tumor there. what then - it is tearing us up waiting for the next step.
Thank You Lord for everything You have done for us today and all You will do for us next week.
This morning we had to get samples for an HLA typing match, for Adele. The samples were taken at Lancaster Cancer Center lab and then we saw Dr Balepur. The surprises last week were, the lymph glands affected, seem smaller and possibly less active, but Dr Meade still wants a sample of the node to confirm anything. The HLA typing is for an allogeneic bone marrow transplant. Beth and Julie have their samples today, and are Fed Exing them back to John Hopkins. Tom's is either today or Monday, I forget.
Dr Balepur still believes the PET scan shows a smaller involvement of the lymph nodes, and is cautious about what to do. We are leaning on Dr Meade as he sees 1000% more cases than Dr Balepur, so the surgical biopsy will be needed.
We have dates on Monday at 8 and 9 AM for Cat scan and bone marrow biopsy aspiration. Then Tuesday is the surgeon, hopefully followed by a biopsy of the node in her side. Then back to Dr Balepur in 2 weeks.
If we can get a good biopsy of the node, best result would be a benign tumor there. what then - it is tearing us up waiting for the next step.
Thank You Lord for everything You have done for us today and all You will do for us next week.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Mon - Tues 1st & 2nd of March
Monday was the PET scan, with Yvonne taking Adele into the health campus and I went to pick her up at 1:15 or so. We went to lunch at Oregon Dairy and then came home for the day.
Tuesday started with a doctor's request for a surgical biopsy since the needle biopsy was negative. OK, we have been there many times, but let's not get too concerned yet. After yet another doctor appt we went to Lancaster and book shopping for both of us. I got an 1800 page book on Windows Servers, while Adele got a bible and some lighter reading. After stopping at Panera's for lunch (this is becoming a habit!) Adele remembered that she had ordered yet another book and forgotten to pick it up. Back to B&N for that book and then home.
Now to ask questions of doctors and get things straightened out. First a call to the local oncologist, who gave us some surprising news, and then emails to JH to confirm what they need next. Next texts from our son, as he made his appt for JH and getting the donor tests done. Then some support for Adele, through my loud speaking, that she should follow the doc's advice. You know - husband needs wife to hear what he says - like that ever happens, women always listen - right?
Anyway, the next week or so will be interesting for us. We again want to say thanks for all the prayers, keep them coming, we are using them up for support as they come in every day. Remember Barry Wolfe also in your prayers, he seems that he is getting better, but now is prepping for radiation and chemo. His new esophagus and stomach must be working better.
Tuesday started with a doctor's request for a surgical biopsy since the needle biopsy was negative. OK, we have been there many times, but let's not get too concerned yet. After yet another doctor appt we went to Lancaster and book shopping for both of us. I got an 1800 page book on Windows Servers, while Adele got a bible and some lighter reading. After stopping at Panera's for lunch (this is becoming a habit!) Adele remembered that she had ordered yet another book and forgotten to pick it up. Back to B&N for that book and then home.
Now to ask questions of doctors and get things straightened out. First a call to the local oncologist, who gave us some surprising news, and then emails to JH to confirm what they need next. Next texts from our son, as he made his appt for JH and getting the donor tests done. Then some support for Adele, through my loud speaking, that she should follow the doc's advice. You know - husband needs wife to hear what he says - like that ever happens, women always listen - right?
Anyway, the next week or so will be interesting for us. We again want to say thanks for all the prayers, keep them coming, we are using them up for support as they come in every day. Remember Barry Wolfe also in your prayers, he seems that he is getting better, but now is prepping for radiation and chemo. His new esophagus and stomach must be working better.
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